Council to vote on hiring preference for veterans

San Diego  The city of San Diego would give hiring preference to all U.S. veterans, not just those who served in the armed forces when a draft was in effect, under a ballot measure proposed by Councilman Todd Gloria to amend the city charter.

Military personnel who have returned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are currently not eligible to receive extra credit on their civil service exams that would make them more competitive candidates for city jobs.

Yesterday, the Committee on Rules, Open Government and Intergovernmental Relations moved Gloria’s proposed measure to the full City Council for a final vote to place it on the June general-election ballot.

The measure calls for preference to be given to those who obtained a passing grade in exams and who have served in any branch of the U.S. armed forces during any war, major military action or peacekeeping mission, and who have been honorably discharged.